VIENNA (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) – Austria got a major boost to their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Pre-Qualifiers campaign in the shape of Toronto Raptors big man Jakob Poltl.

The 21-year-old center, who just finished his rookie season in the NBA, was among the 15 players selected to the national team's squad, giving head coach Kestutis Kemzura a game-changing option inside the paint.

After suiting up for Austria at the FIBA U18 European Championship Division B in 2012 and 2013, Poltl made his senior national team debut in a friendly setting back in 2015, but is yet to appear in an official senior game for his country.

A standout at NCAA level, the 7ft (2.13m) big man did not set the league on fire in his first professional season, averaging 3.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in the NBA, but had a healthy run with the Raptors, appearing in 56 games, as well as a couple of appearances for their affiliate club Raptors 905 in the NBA Development League.

7p, 7r in 11 min Friday night for Jakob Poeltl... The kid can play. pic.twitter.com/RP73TUW6G9

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 29, 2016

"We would like to thank the Toronto Raptors and NBA Europe for their cooperation," said Philipp Trattner the Secretary General of the Austrian Basketball Federation. "We are very happy that Jakob will play in the FIBA Basketball World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers."

In suiting up for the Austrian national team, Poltl joins the unchanged three-man core of Rasid Mahalbasic, Davor Lamesic and Thomas Schreiner, but the overall picture of the squad is quite different with coach Kemzura only inviting six players from last year's FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers, when Austria went 2-4 and finished third in their group.

Rasid Mahalbasic puts up the numbers! Double-double in Austria's win over Denmark at the #EuroBasket2017 Qualifiers. pic.twitter.com/CbyNeEWlxE

— FIBA (@FIBA) September 8, 2016

The team's Lithuanian coaching staff hope to incorporate more young players into the team, with 1996-born Bayern Munich prospect Marvin Ogunsipe and the 1997-born Aleksandar Andjelkovic of BC Vienna headlining a notable youth movement.

Among the notable additions is also the name of Bryce Douvier, who just signed a contract with Lega Due side Treviglio after a successful professional debut in Portugal last season.

Austria will be competing for two available tickets to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers from Group B, where they will need to top either Albania or the Netherlands.

Poltl and company will begin the two-week-long Pre-Qualifiers on the road against Albania on August 2, before hosting the Netherlands at home on August 5 and later playing the return fixtures.

FIBA